Biography (G) - Encylopedia Of Antiques

GAUTIER, ANDREW (1720-1784): One of the first American furniture makers to use illustrated newspaper advertising. He was born and lived in New York and specialized in the making of Windsor chairs.

GIBBONS, GRINLING (1648-1721): England's most famous wood carver was born in Rotterdam, Holland. He carved the choir stalls at St. Paul's Cathedral and in the chapel at Windsor Castle, besides doing much work in the royal palaces at Whitehall, Hampton Court, and Kensington. He also carved wall-panels, mirror frames and chimney pieces, and was appointed Master Carver-in-Wood in 1714. He did most of his work under the direction of Sir Christopher Wren (q.v.). Gibbons was not so successful with his work in marble and bronze.

GILLERLAND, JOHN: A glass-maker who was considered to be the best metal-mixer of his time in America. Many of his decanters and wine glasses cannot readily be distinguished from the imported ware. He was at first connected with the New England Glass Company at Cambridge, and in 1823 he went to Brooklyn where he established the South Ferry Glass Works, which was in successful operation until late in the Fifties. Much of our fine cut glass of the Forties and Fifties came from the Gillerland furnaces.

GILLINGHAM, JAMES (1736-1781): Philadelphia cabinet-maker with a shop on Second Street. His furniture was simple but of a fine character and he compares favorably with other leading Philadelphia cabinet-makers.

GILLINGHAM, JOHN (1710-1793): Philadelphia cabinet-maker, uncle of James, above. In 1740 he made a desk for Benjamin Franklin.

GILLOW, ROBERT (?-1772): A member of one of the oldest furniture-making families in England, starting in Lancaster in 1724 and opening in London in 1765. He rivaled Chippendale in the excellent quality of his work. Richard (1776-1866), grandson of Robert, was the inventor of the telescopic dining-table, and is reported to
have been a maker of English billiard tables. The firm is still in existence.

GLEASON, ROSWELL (1798-1886): Pewterer at Dorchester, Massachusetts, who is said to have begun work about 1830. His ware was in great variety and some of it was very good in quality and workmanship.

GOBELIN The name of a family of dyers from Belgium which came late in the 15th century to Paris. Jean and Philibert, brothers, established a tannery on the banks of the Bievre River there and in the following century added a tapestry manufactory, which eventually, through the support of King Louis XIV in the 17th century, became famous. See TAPESTRIES, Gobelin, PART 4.

GODDARD, JOHN (1724-1785): A cabinet-maker of Newport, Rhode Island, reputed to have been the first to make block-front furniture, although some authorities believe that Job Townsend (q.v.) should have the credit. Goddard was one of the most noteworthy and successful of our early cabinet-makers and rivals in reputation William Savery and Duncan Phyfe. After his death his son Thomas (1765-1858) carried on the business, although it is not known that he made block-front furniture.

GOELET, PHILIP (1701?-1748): New York Silversmith.

GOSTELOWE, JONATHAN (1744-1806): Philadelphia cabinet and chair- maker. He followed English models of the Georgian period very closely and authentic pieces of his work establish him as among the foremost of Philadelphia cabinet-makers. A labeled bureau of his make is in the Pennsylvania Museum and other labeled pieces are known. In 1788 he was chairman of "Gentlemen Cabinet and Chair Makers," a trade organization, and in 1793 he retired from active business.

GOULD, JOHN JR. (1793-1840): Cabinet-maker of New Ipswich, New Hampshire, whose work has been identified on two chests of drawers of good workmanship by his printed label on each. One of his apprentices was Jonas Chickering, who afterwards achieved fame by making the Chickering piano.

GRAHAM, GEORGE (1673-1751): A Quaker clock and watch-maker born in Kirklinton, who went to London in 1688 and began his apprenticeship. Subsequently employed by Thomas Tompion (q.v.), he married the daughter of James Tompion, brother of Thomas. Graham is credited with inventing the dead-beat escapement in clocks, still unsurpassed, and he was acknowledged to be the foremost horologist of his time. He was buried in Westminster Abbey.

GRANGER, OSCAR: Glassmaker early in Vernon, New York, where he learned to make glass at the (Mt. ) Vernon Glass Works. In 1844 he went to Mt. Pleasant (Saratoga), New York, and built a glass factory which was successful for a number of years.

GREATBACH, DANIEL: An English potter who came to this country in 1839 from Hanley, Staffordshire, and found employment at the Jersey City potteries until 1848. In 1852 he joined the United States Pottery at Bennington, Vermont, and he was the originator of many of the Bennington models that met with favor from that time until the pottery was closed. Notable among these was the hound' handled pitcher or jug. Greatbach was an artist, but not a good business man, and he died in poverty in Trenton.